More aggressive vertical tillage machines come to market

What’s new from the shows: New machines let you decide how much residue you want to bury.

By Farm Progress staff

Vertical tillage took the machinery world by storm just a few years ago. The concept of a machine that could run fast and only a couple inches deep, only lightly burying any residue and leaving most of it on top has been adopted on many farms.

Many companies are still making and selling vertical tillage equipment. Some now offer models that allow the operator to be more aggressive in running the tool deeper, or mixing in more soil with residue. How they accomplish it depends upon the machine.

The new models shown here are not the only updated vertical tillage tools that have been offered in the last couple of years. Case IH debuted a tool that was covered earlier, which can be set to run more aggressively than the original case IH vertical tillage tool. The case IH tool was one of the first vertical tillage tools on the market.

Some of these new tools, like the Landoll 7432 model, now let the operator choose how aggressive to be on tillage while going across the field. In earlier models, the gang angle was set at 10 degrees. The operator can now adjust it form the cab, making it more or less aggressive to fit field conditions. The machine accomplishes it by using hydraulic cylinders to adjust gang angles.

McFarlane was one of the early makers of vertical tillage tools as well. The company introduced a new machine this year, which should find a home on many farms. K-Line Ag also entered the vertical tillage market with a machine that appears to be rather aggressive in handling residue. Spokespeople say it can still be operated at relatively high speeds in the field.

Check out these models and compare them to others already on the market. Use the contact information and websites to learn more about these new tools.